Avatar of the Unconquered
by SeanSalazar
Summary: KPExalted. CHP 5 is up after the ungodly wait. It's not my fault. Really! Read and Review please.
1. Exhaltation

Darkness, nothing else stood out except for the darkness. Which didn't really matter because there was nothing else worthy of note there. All was an endless black emptiness that could not be touched, heard, felt or even seen. Then out of the nothingness, something formed.

This was astounding in and of itself, since the only thing that can come from nothingness is more nothingness. This much was common knowledge…Knowledge? Yes that was what was being formed. However, knowledge did not just come out of nothingness. Someone had to know it, which meant that someone had to…exist! Yes, someone did exist. Someone was out there, and the thought nagged at him…Him? Yes, he, he was the one who existed. He was a…he? That was assured, there was a sense of maleness that was inherent in his mind…his mind…my mind… 'I'. Realization came rushing in…he was the I that existed. Yet where did he exist? He had thought 'no place' but there was no such thing as a 'no place'. Everywhere was a place, he just needed to discover where his was.

Yet darkness covered everything. There was no sight, but he knew that he had eyes…and ones that could see at that. So, he attempted to adjust them. To let as much light into his eyes as possible in this black place. Yet he still could see nothing. In frustration he swung his arm wildly and hit the ground. There was a smack as his hand came into contact with the ground. Sound! It was the first sound that he had heard since he had been here. He realized also that he could make the sound, and other sounds using…his voice. So he did the only natural thing. He asked.

"Where am I?"

He heard himself but heard no answer in response. So he asked again.

"Where am I?"

Nothing

Yet something was different than before. Something had changed…He could see! Just barely, but he could. He realized then that there was a light. There was a faint glow, which was steadily growing brighter. Soon enough he could see the source of the light and see that the light was moving. It was growing closer. Then came the voice.

Darkness is not thy way… 

The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"Who, who said that?" He asked

Oblivion is not thy path… 

"What? Who said that? Who are you?"

Obscurity is not thy place… 

He was beginning to become frustrated with this voice from nowhere. It didn't even bother to answer questions.

_**Fear is not thy answer…**_

The light, which had started off as a faint glimmer, had grown into a bright golden sphere that now hovered just at the edge of his sight. It pulsated with every word spoken by the voice. As it grew closer and brighter, He could see. The sphere of light was the source of the voice. He gazed into it, but found it hard to do so without hurting his eyes when he looked at it longer than a few seconds. He decided to try once again…and did so, gazing deeply into it. Then he took a deep breath and let out a howl of

"WHO ARE YOU!"

The sphere stabilized as if it had reached a plateau and could go no further. Merely shimmering at the same brightness. There was a hint of amusement in the voice when it spoke again.

_**Very few have the strength of heart to cry out demands of me. You are a special one.**_

"Well then, let's pretend you aren't a bit of an ass for a minute and you answer my question." He didn't realize that he was speaking. When he heard the words come from his mouth he almost choked in surprise.

**_Amusing indeed. I foresee much in_** **_our future interactions young one._**

He was growing annoyed with the voice

_**Your question, however, is irrelevant at the moment.**_

"Oh yeah, then what is relevant…I'm sitting here talking to some floating goober ball that somehow has the gift of speech. I just wanna know what to call you when I tell this story to my grandkids…assuming I ever have any."

_**The question most relevant at this moment is… Who are you?**_

With that the sphere exploded into a thousand points of light. Blinding him and filling his vision with pure unadulterated white.

Slowly, his vision returned. When he could see clearly again, he realized that he was lying face down in wet sand. He looked up to find himself on an empty beach. Overhead the golden sphere of the sun hung in the sky. Not to far ahead were the crystal blue waves of the ocean.

"Wow, I'm really lost here." He said

Suddenly, a large wave crashed into the white sands of the shore and pulled him closer to the shoreline on the way back out. When he had regained himself he got to his hand and knees, water forming in a small pool where his hands had dug into the miry, clay-like sand. In the pool h could see his reflection, Blonde hair, slightly large ears, freckles, and chocolate brown eyes. He could also see the reflection of the sun blazing in the sky above.

Who are you? 

"I'm, I am…"

Ron 

"Yes, that's my name."

_**Indeed it is. However you also have another. It is a name that holds great power and strength. You are meant to be much more than you are now. Yet your time has not come.**_

"My time?"

_**It is coming soon…sooner than you may be ready, but there is no choice. You must be called up, for the others shall need you as a beacon to light the way.**_

"What do you mean?"

**_The answers are coming Ronald, they are coming._**

"Wait, who are you?" Ron yelled as the light began to fade

_**Darkness is not thy way, oblivion is not thy path, obscurity is not thy place, and fear is not thy answer.**_

Ron could sense the voice growing fainter

_**Remember my words well young one, and be not afraid. When darkness surrounds, simply look within yourself for the light to push it back. A great destiny awaits you young one, take heart for you shall not fall. For you have been…Chosen.**_


	2. Frendship on the rocks

Thanks to everyone who is reading…especially those reviewing. Please feel free to R&R people. Even if it's bad, I'll probably just ignore you anyway…hehe

Disclaimer: Just in case anybody wondered where this was in my last chapter…I'm new to so please nobody sue me.

As always, no permission to use any of these characters except for the ones I make myself…which probably won't be that many anyway. I'll let you know when they come along.

Kim Possible characters belong to the Disney folks and all the Exalted stuff belongs to White Wolf.

CHAPTER TWO 

"Ron…Ron!"

Kim was about ready to give up. She had been trying to wake Ron for a good eight minutes now and nothing seemed to be working. She had done everything short of yanking the covers off of him, which she figured might be a bad idea. He was, after all a teenage boy. Who knew what types of dreams were floating around in that head of his when he wasn't conscious? Not to mention the fact that she had no idea weather or not he wore more than boxers to sleep.

"Got it." Came a small squeak from the direction of the door.

Rufus, Ron's small pink naked mole rat stood in the doorway, holding up a small paper cup filled with water. Kim walked over and retrieved his burden and walked back over to the side of Ron's bed.

"Last chance Ron." She said warningly as she dangled to cup over his face.

No response

"Okay, you asked for this one." Kim dumped the contents of the cup directly onto Ron's face.

Immediately, Ron sat up sputtering, coughing and yelling random bits of half formed questions.

"Easy there sleeping beauty." Kim chuckled as she placed the empty cup down on Ron's cluttered nightstand. _Honestly, how can he live in this labyrinth of clutter?_ She asked herself.

"What, what was that about?" Ron asked dazed

"Hey, you're the one who wouldn't wake up. I had to employ drastic measures." Kim explained

"Yeah, well did the cup have to be full?" Ron asked. "I coulda drowned there."

"So not the drama Ron. Besides, we're gonna be late for school if you don't hurry." The redhead replied

"Yeah, I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying." He said, "You should go on without me though."

"Yeah, and I…huh?" Kim asked confused

"I said, you should go ahead." Ron repeated

"Uh…I…mean…you don't want me to wait?"

"Naw, I'll be all right. Besides, if you wait for me you'll just end up being late and ruin your attendance record."

Kim was surprised. "You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. Go on, I'll catch you at school."

"Okay…I guess. I'll see you there then." Kim said as she turned and walked out of the door.

Once she was gone Ron rose from his bed. He felt a bit dizzy and disoriented. Which was why he had told Kim to go on ahead. To be honest, he wasn't even quite sure that he'd make it to school at all. It must have been that funky dream he'd had. It was rather unsettling, especially since it had been the same dream that he had been having every night for the past month. This time it had been a bit different though. The beach thing was definitely not a normal part of his dream. Usually, his dreams ended right as the big sphere of light exploded.

"Maybe it has something to do with what the voice said at the end of the dream." Ron said out loud to no one in particular.

He walked over to his dresser drawer and pulled out a clean set of clothes. He didn't have many clean sets left. He thought about asking his mother to do a wash for him but then remembered that she and his father were gone for the next two days. Some marriage retreat that they had planned for the past few months. He figured that he would have to do a wash himself when he got home today. After getting showered and dressed, he grabbed a package of toaster pastries and left the house and locked the door. Checking his watch, he decided to hurry. He might still make it to school if he did.

_I might just make it._ Ron thought as he broke into a dead run towards the doors of Middleton High.

It was 7:40 and school started and 7:45. _Five minutes left, if I head straight for my first period I'll make it._ He was past the front doors and into the main hallway rounding a corner when it happened.

"Ow!"

Ron collided with something as he was turning the corner and fell back flat on his butt. Looking up to see what it was, he found out that it wasn't an it but rather a he. Above him, a young boy who looked to be no older than fourteen stared back down at Ron smiling.

"Hey there, you all right man?" The boy asked offering his hand to help Ron up.

Ron took the proffered hand and slowly stood to his feet. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good, I thought that I might have hurt you." The boy responded.

Ron chuckled "Just my pride…but I don't think I've ever seen you around here before."

"No you haven't, I'm a new student." He boy said simply

"Oh, well welcome to Middleton High!" Ron said cordially

REWIND: TWO MINUTES AGO 

Eight thousand years and he was still the kid. He had been alive for more centuries than anyone in this building had years. Yet, he was the one chosen for this task. He knew the logic behind it. He was the only one who could pull it off reasonably besides Jade, and she was busy keeping an eye out for…what exactly Dace hadn't said, but Dace was sure that when she saw it, she would know and told her as much. That left him, Panther or Lilith…and to tell the truth Yushuv felt better about himself taking on the role of watchful guardian to this new exalt that had brought them here. Speaking of which…he felt a strange feeling just now. It felt like…it was! There was an Exalt nearby. All he had to do now was find out where he…

"Ow!"

PRESENT 

"So, what's your name?" Ron asked the boy standing in front of him.

"I'm Yushuv, and you are?"

"My names Ron."

Just then the class bell rang out signifying the start of class.

"And now I am late." Ron said.

"Oh I'm sorry, that's my fault. You won't get into trouble will you?" Yushuv asked

"Not much more than I usually do for being late." Ron responded

"STOPPABLE!" A loud voice bellowed from down the hall.

"Oh great, It's Barkin." Ron said sarcastically. "Just don't look him in the eye."

"Stoppable, what are you doing in the halls after the bell. Playing hooky I'll bet." Barkin barked.

"Well, I was…" Ron started

"I'm sorry sir, Ron here was helping me to find my locker and show me around. I'm sorry if we're late, it was entirely my fault sir." Yushuv interrupted.

"Oh, you must be the new student…Yushuv Dawn was it?" Barkin asked

"Yes sir." Yushuv replied

"Well then I'll overlook it this time. Stoppable, you better not go corrupting this kid on his first day."

"No sir, of course not." Ron said.

"Well then, you two better get to class." Barking ordered

"Yes sir, right away sir." Ron blurted

"Carry on then."

With that Barkin left the pair and went along his patrol through the halls.

"Uh…thanks…back there." Ron said when Barkin was out of earshot

"No problem man, we gotta stick together you know?" Yushuv stated and immediately wished that he hadn't.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked

Yushuv ran through a number of explanations and finally settled on one.

"I mean clumsy guys like us." He said

"Oh, yeah you're right!" Ron said

Yushuv silently sighed. The kid had bought it, which was good. Most exalts tended to be slightly paranoid people who suspected people when they said things that didn't quite fit. He knew that from personal experience. Even before his exaltation he had been quite the paranoid skeptic. Then again, he'd been pretty damn brave too. Wandering down in those catacombs farther than anyone else had ever dared to venture. He assumed that since the others shared some of these characteristics, that the Unconquered Sun had a tendency to pick people like that as his chosen. So far the exalt in front of him had seemed pretty trusting. Which was good for now, but they would have to train him out of that later. 'Solars can't afford to trust too many people.' At least that was what Dace had always said.

"So what's you first period?" Ron asked pulling Yushuv out of his inner thoughts.

"Oh, right…um…Chem. lab." Yushuv said glancing at the paper schedule in his hand.

"Hey cool that's my next class! What grade are you in?" Ron asked.

"Oh me, I'm a Junior." Yushuv stated.

"Hey, me too. Let me get a look at you schedule." Ron asked

Yushuv handed it to him, it should be pretty familiar to the young man in front of him…seeing as it was almost a carbon copy of his own. Jade had set that up by hacking into the school computers. She was pretty damned good at that too. Just another one of the useful tricks she had in her repertoire. Yushuv had decided that he needed to have something that he could do better than her besides fight, at which he was only slightly better than she was. So he decided to become the best undercover agent that the team had…which worked pretty well, since no one really paid a kid any mind at all.

"Whoa, dude! We have exactly the same schedule, the same classes the same teachers and everything!"

Yushuv tried his best to sound surprised. "Really! So I guess I'll just hang with you then. I mean if that's all right with you?"

"What? Definitely, I'll let you in on everything that's everything around here!" Ron exclaimed

Ron was feeling rather excited. It wasn't everyday that he got to look like a real authority on anything. So he took great pride in the fact that this new kid was going to be looking to him for advice. Together the pair walked to their first class of the day.

"So, you go out there like everyday, and put your neck on the line for the whole world because she tells you to?" Yushuv asked.

"No, no no no no. I mean…well She doesn't you know…order me around…" Ron stammered.

"But you just said that she calls all the shots." Yushuv responded.

"Well, she does…but I mean…It's not like I don't have a choice to follow her or not." Ron defended.

"Then why follow her? If you ask me the whole thing sounds a bit, insane."

"Well, KP's my friend. She's always been there for me and I'll always be there for her." Ron said confidently.

"Right, so where is she now?" Yushuv asked.

"She'll be here any moment now. I can't wait for you to meet her! You'll see, she's cool Yushuv!" Ron replied.

Just then Monique, Kim's best female friend sat down at the table with an audible 'humph'.

"Hey Mon, I got someone I want you to meet. Monique, this is Yushuv. Yushuv, this is Monique." Ron introduced them.

"Hi." Monique said simply.

She seemed irritated.

"Hey, what's up Mon?" Ron asked

"Oh nothing much, just feel like bashing Kim's skull in with a nice big hammer." She said nonchalantly.

"So how 'cool' is she again Ron?" Yushuv asked

Ron simply threw a glare at Yushuv and went back to asking Monique what had happened.

"We were supposed to hang out at the mall today after school, but she just blew me off." Monique said getting more irritated as she spoke. "She said something about a date with Josh tonight! On GIRL'S NIGHT OUT of all days!"

Yushuv sat back not saying anything. If he had learned anything from spending all these centuries with Harmonious Jade and Lilith around, one of those things was not to stand in the way of a pissed off woman. One must make oneself small so as not to draw fire.

"I'm sure she just forgot Mon. She'll hang with you next time. Yeah, that what she said last week and the week before that Ron! I swear Josh Mankey is having some adverse affect on Kim. She's starting to forget who her friends are."

Ron winced. He had argued this point with himself before, and hearing it come from Monique's mouth just made it all the more valid.

"Look, I'll talk to her Mon." Ron finally said.

"Yeah you had better. Before I get to her." She threatened.

Ron left the table and eventually found Kim with Monkey boy at a table outside in the courtyard.

"Hey KP, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ron asked as he walked up.

"Sure go ahead." Kim still giggling from some joke Josh just told answered with a smile on her face.

"Actually, it's kinda private KP." Ron said

"Oh okay." She said rising up from her seat with Josh "Be back in a sec."

Josh nodded and when Kim turned her back gave Ron an evil glare, which Ron chose to ignore. When they had entered an area where they could talk without being interrupted, Ron spoke.

"Hey Kim, look. Monique just came over and she seemed a bit tweaked."

"Oh, yeah about that. See Josh had asked me out before Monique had asked so I had to turn her down." Kim explained.

"Uh Kim, since when does Monique need to set up a appointment to hang out with you on girls night out. Even _I _know not to ask you to hang out on girls night out." Ron said.

"Well Ron things are different now." Kim said

"Oh and why is that?" Ron asked

"Because, I'm dating Josh now!" She said

"So, Monkey boy gets all your free time to himself all of a sudden and your friends can go suck a sewer pipe?" Ron retorted angrily.

"That is not true and you know it Ron!" She responded.

"Do I really? Because I don't think I do." Ron snapped back

"I would never abandon my friends Ron!" Kim said simply

"Yeah, sure KP. Just think about this. Monique hasn't spent time with you outside of school for the past three weeks if you count today's blow off. I haven't even so much as gotten a phone call from you in four weeks. In fact you went on your last three missions without me. I had to find out about 'em from Wade."

"Ron, look I get busy. I'm growing up."

"Yeah, well don't be surprised if your friends aren't there when you're done." Ron said flatly and turned and walked away

"Ron…Ron!" Kim called after him but received no answer.

"I just don't get it!" Ron said as he bit into a Naco.

He and Yushuv had gone to Beuno Nacho after school and they were now discussing the formers chat with Kim during lunch.

"How can we go to being best friends since pre-k to barely speaking at all?" Ron asked his companion.

Yushuv shrugged as he wolfed down his own Naco. "Hey, I know what you mean. One second you're just a normal, lovable, neighborhood kid and the next you're being hunted like a dog through the streets…" Yushuv slipped. "…People change man!" He recovered with an inward sigh. He was really gonna have to stop letting his guard down around this kid like that.

"No way, I mean…not Kim. We've been tight forever." Ron argued

"So what, you think she's being brainwashed or something?" Yushuv said jokingly between bites. Man these things were delicious. Where had this been all his life?

"I dunno, I mean, she has been acting different. But not brainwash different."

"So what else could be up besides what she was telling you…She's growing up. Maybe growing out of your friendship." Yushuv said calmly.

"No way man! Kim and me are tight forever! We always said we'd be." Ron defended

"So, that means about as much as horse shit on the road to Atlantis." Yushuv said coining an ancient phrase he had picked up in Greece sometime during his run in with that Plato guy. He had been one hell of a guy actually.

"Huh?" Ron responded.

"Old saying where I'm from. Anyway, it means that talk is cheap Ron. Kim could have said a great deal of things…and meant them at the time. That however, does not mean that she'll keep her promises."

Ron shook his head

"Look man I see it all the time. It's why I don't trust that many people…well that and because Dace tells me not to…but that is neither here nor there." Yushuv said simply. "People break their word. Unless you have some mystical way of making them keep it, then you're shit outta luck."

Ron sighed and dropped his head

Yushuv seeing that his words depressed the boy sighed and flashed him a smile "Hey, if it makes you fell any better, I actually trust you even though it's against my nature."

"Really?" Ron asked

"Yeah, you're a decent guy, and Kim is crazy for choosing a loser like that Mankey over you." Yushuv said

"Whoa, me and Kim are tight…but not like that though!" Ron said catching Yushuv's tone and meaning.

"Yeah, sure sure." Yushuv said chuckling. "On the subject of Mankey though…"

Rewind two hours earlier 

Yushuv had been watching the fight between Ron and Kim and listening in with a bit of help from his solar abilities. It was then that he noticed through the window the boy, what was his name…Josh Mankey…staring at him. It was a bit disturbing, he had this look in his eyes as if he were seeing some kind of ghost or something. It was then that Yushuv got a feeling about Mankey. Not much at all but just an inkling of something was nagging at him. It seemed familiar in a way. He remembered something. Something from so long ago he thought he would have forgotten it all. Yet it was still burned into his memory. Two words that described something that he had only faced twice in his life. Something that he was one of the few fortunate enough to survive. Something every exalt knew no matter which god of the Old World they served. Something called the Wyld Hunt.

PRESENT 

"What about him?" Ron asked

"Have you ever gotten…I dunno, a weird feeling about him?" Yushuv asked

"You know what? Yes, recently I've just been getting this…I don't know bad vibe from him. Like…spider sense or something."

"Spider-sense?" Yushuv asked chuckling.

"Oh you know what I mean, like he's dangerous or something." Ron explained

"Yeah, me too. When did you first start feeling it though?" Yushuv asked

"About four weeks ago, which is weird. It was around the same time as when I…" Ron trailed off.

"'When you' what?" Yushuv asked

"Promise not to laugh?" Ron said

Yushuv had an idea where this was going and agreed with a nod

"I've been having this dream lately Yushuv, I haven't even told Kim about this so I need you to keep a lid on this for me."

Yushuv nodded

"Well, it's a rather strange one." Ron continued "At first I'm in this really dark place. Then there's this light that talks to me. After it talks to me for a while it usually blows up and then I wake up…but…"

"But what?" Yushuv pressed.

"Last night, it was different. Well I mean, for the most part it stayed the same. Darkness, then a light, explosion, you know the usual dream. Then after that I was on a beach. I mean it was the most gorgeous beach I had ever seen. It stretched out as far as the eye could see and the ocean…the water was so crystal clear blue I could see to the bottom. Then this huge wave knocks me off my feet and I'm on my hands and knees looking at my reflection in a pool of water in front of my face. Behind my head in the reflection I can see the sun and I know that somehow it's really important that I can see it. Then I hear the voice again. It says something about me being chosen. That's when I woke up."

Yushuv sat stock-still and took it all in. The dream Ron had just described was definitely an exaltation dream and it was definitely an exaltation by the Unconquered Sun. Ron was indeed the one they had been looking for. Yet why had the dream been reoccurring for a month? That never happened as far as he knew. Usually, it wasn't even so much a dream as it was a vision/hallucination or whatever you wanted to call it, and they certainly did not reoccur over the period of a month's time. This was really something. He had better tell Dace and Lilith about this ASAP. Maybe they would have more insight.

"Whoa." Yushuv managed to get past his lips.

"Yeah, really." Ron said sitting back in his chair.

Just then Yushuv's cell phone rang. Reaching in his pocket he drew it forth. It was one of those really cool cellphones from the matrix movies that snapped open at the touch of a button and answered automatically rather than having to unfold the phone by hand. It also had a feature that allowed it to close the same way. Meaning you only needed one hand to use it and could use your other free hand to do whatever. Like Yushuv was using his free hand to jam another Naco into his mouth. He talked to the voice on the other end of the line simply saying things like "Uh-huh, yeah, sure, Beuno Nacho, definitely, and gotcha."

When he hung up he turned to Ron

"Hey, that was my…Uncle…he's sending my…uh…cousin to come and pick me up. You need a lift home?"

"Yeah sure." Ron said "If it's not any trouble?"

"No trouble at all. So where do you live?"

"Over on Crystalline drive." Ron said

"Yeah, see no problem."

"Where do you live."

"Not too far, Bluebell street." Yushuv said.

They talked a bit more about school and other things that came up and soon enough a cherry red Porsche pulled up in front of the Beuno Nacho. Looking out Yushuv spotted the car and looked over to Ron.

"There she is. You ready?"

"Yeah, wow! Nice car." Ron said

"She thinks so anyway." Yushuv said

The pair walked outside and Yushuv introduced his "Cousin" as Jade.

"Hey handsome, how are ya?" Jade said instantly giving Ron a good look up and down.

Yushuv groaned. Jade was hardly ever flirtatious except when it came to guys like Ron. The nice, unworldly, inexperienced, young man who could definitely do without a woman like her as an influence. If things went like they usually did with guys and Jade, she'd be sacking him by next week.

"Hey, nice car! You really own it!" Ron asked

Jade was caught slightly surprised. Usually guys were drooling over her dark chocolate skin and flashy, form fitting, choice of attire, which left only the essentials to the imagination from the first second they saw her. Ron however only seemed to be interested in the car.

Yushuv smiled. _This kid'll fit right in._ He thought as he climbed into the passenger seat.

"So tomorrow, well hang at the mall or something?" Yushuv asked as Ron hopped out of the Porsche that was parked in front of his house.

"Yeah, sounds good!" Ron said. "See you then man and thanks for the ride Jade!"

"Anytime cutie-pie!" Jade said as she watched him head inside.

"You do know that you're old enough to be his great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great…" Yushuv joked.

"Oh shut up! I am not that old!" Jade said

"Maybe not by our standards." Yushuv chuckled

Jade gave him a playful yet firm slap on the head. "You're just mad because all the ladies still see you as nothing but a fifteen year old boy."

Yushuv grumbled something

"What was that?" She asked.

"I said 'at least they don't call me a skank when I'm not looking'."

Jade simply laughed. "So what if they do, I'll just outlive the bastards and have the last laugh. When they're old and gray and can't get any, I'll be young and just as sensuous as ever. Exaltation certainly has its upsides."

Yushuv rolled his eyes. They'd had this conversation before a number of times over the centuries, and Jade's view never changed. He didn't mind though. Sure Jade was way too promiscuous for her own good, but he loved her like a sister. After all these years, she pretty much had become his family, just like the others.

"So did you read him Jade? Or were you too busy thinking of ways to sexually corrupt the guy?" Yushuv asked

"Oh I read him, and thee is no doubt about it. He's a Solar Exalted all right. His potential is through the roof though, it's like nothing I've ever sensed before." She replied

"Yeah, well it gets even weirder. He says that his exaltation took about a month." Yushuv said

"What?"

"He says that he had been having the same dream for a month, and in the dream the Unconquered Sun was talking to him, but then today or rather last night when he had the dream, the Unconquered Sun finally told him that he was chosen." Yushuv explained.

"Curiouser and curiouser." Jade said

"There's more Mad Hatter. Get this, I think there's a terrestrial at his school."

Jade looked at him with a serious expression. "You think?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not sure of it. I just got a weird feeling when I saw one of the kids there. It reminded me…of the Wyld Hunt."

Jade shivered at the mention of those words. "Well, don't go doing anything stupid Yushuv. You stay low key and keep working at bringing him into the loop as steady as you can. I'll see what I can dig up on this kid. What'd you say his name was?"

"Josh…Josh Mankey."

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Sneakers are for Sneaking

Disclaimer: You know what goes here. Kim+ExaltedNot Mine in any way shape or form.

If'n you are reading…and reviewing…I loves ya!

Ladies I am still single…joke joke joke.

Where was I? Oh yeah that's right on to…

CHAPTER THREE 

"Sorry Ron, Kim already left with Josh this morning." Dr. Andrea Possible said as she was heading out for work. "I thought…she had said she called you."

"It's okay Dr. P I must have forgotten." Ron lied.

Andrea knew he was lying. She could see it on his face how hurt he was. Not to mention he didn't look her in the face when he had said it. She decided not to press the matter though.

"If you want Ron, I can give you a ride." She offered.

"No, you don't need to. I'll just walk…you know…gotta keep in…shape." Ron said as he started off.

"You sure? It's really no trouble." She said

"No, I'm good." He said

"All right. Tell your folks I said hi." She said as she climbed in her car.

"Oh yeah, definitely. Talk to you later Mrs. P." Ron waved as her car pulled into the street and drove off.

Sighing he set himself for the walk alone to the school. He had barely made it out of the neighborhood when a black BMW convertible coup pulled up on the road next to him and honked it's horn. Ron looked over as the driver side window came down to reveal…Yushuv!

"Hey Ron! Need a ride to school?" Yushuv asked as he stopped the car.

"Whoa, Yushuv! You have a car?" Ron asked flabbergasted (a/n: I love that word)

"Uh yeah, I thought I told you that?" Yushuv smiled.

"No, you neglected to mention that fact." Ron said. "I didn't even know you were old enough to drive."

_I've been old enough to drive since Caesar was in diapers._ Yushuv thought.

"Yeah, whatever. You want a ride or not man?" Yushuv asked grinning.

"Sure!" With that Ron jumped into the car and they were off at breakneck speed.

Suddenly Yushuv hit the breaks hard and brought the car to a complete stop.

"WHOA!" Ron yelled, "What was that for?"

"I almost forgot…the music!" Yushuv chuckled as he popped in a CD.

Fuel by Mettallica (A/N Please tell me that I did not just have a brain fart I think it's Metallica…my god I think I lose my head for a few seconds) began to blare from every direction.

"Now that's more like it!" Yushuv hollered as he pealed off again.

They got to the school in record time and were just pulling into the parking lot when they saw Kim and Josh getting out of the latter's car. Ron made an audible, deep growl in the back of his throat. Picking up on this, Yushuv decided to have a little fun with Josh for three reasons. Number one: Because Yushuv was bored. Number two: Because it would earn him some major cool points with Ron to embarrass the hell outta the guy in front of most of the school, and finally reason three: Because he just plain didn't like the guy. Him possibly being a terrestrial probably had something to do with that. So revving up the engine, Yushuv burned out and headed straight for Josh, as he was stepping out of his car, at sixty miles an hour. Needless to say, when Yushuv stopped the car on a dime right before taking off the monkey's legs at the knees, Josh was terrified. Ron had closed his eyes right before he knew impact was imminent, now as he opened them, he saw Josh's face with that dear-in-the –headlights look. Which wasn't as far from what actually happened as it seemed. Josh had just stood there the whole time and screamed like a girl.

Yushuv was overwhelmed by the humor of it all and was laughing like a madman, as Kim stared at the car in disbelief. She saw Ron siting there next to this crazed lunatic who had damn near ran over her boyfriend. So naturally she though he was some new crazy who had either kidnapped or brainwashed Ron in order to get to her again.

"Ron! Get out of that car right now!" She screamed

Ron started to comply when Yushuv put a hand over his chest. Ron looked over at Yushuv who was shaking his head.

"I haven't put the car into park yet." He said with an evil grin.

Ron laughed as Yushuv pushed the gearshift to P and applied the parking break. Then they slowly unbuckled their seat belts and stepped out of the vehicle. Yushuv walked over to Josh, who was fuming as the other students in the parking lot laughed at him.

"Hey man, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." Yushuv said trying to stifle his laughter but failing for the most part.

"Why you little…" Josh started but flinched when Yushuv took a quick step towards him.

"I'd not say another word if I were you Monkey." He said in a deep and very threatening voice "You might not live to regret it."

Ron watched as Yushuv handled the larger boy with ease and started to strut off.

"Ron! What was that about!" Kim asked angrily " Who is that guy and why did you make him do that?"

Ron grew a bit upset at that last statement and answered Kim's questions with ones of his own. "What do you think it was about? Why do you care? And what makes you think it was my idea? Just because you like the monkey boy doesn't mean that I and everyone else in the world do to." Ron said as he stalked off without looking back.

"Ron, don't you dare walk away from me!"

Without even turning his head Ron responded "And what're you gonna do if I _do_ dare?"

When he had caught up to Yushuv who was waiting by the entrance for him, Yushuv gave him a high five.

"I like that…don't look back…smooth." Yushuv said

"What can I say, I'm pretty cool when I'm pissed." Ron said with a smile

"Well you need to be pissed all the time then."

Laughing with each other the two made their way to first period.

"Good boy Yushuv." Said the beautiful killer as she sat atop the edge of the roof of Middleton High. "Mark the target and earn cool points with the kid at the same time. You're getting better."

"Yeah, well I had a couple of good teachers and about four thousand years of experience." Yushuv replied "I gotta go Ron's on the move."

"Later Yushuv." Jade responded.

"Happy hunting." Yushuv said as he cut the comm. connection.

Jade watched as the angry boy stomped towards the school while the pretty little redhead tried to run after him. It was a rather funny display and a perfect way to establish that Yushuv was not one to be trifled with. Which is rule number one of undercover ops in a situation such as this. After the school bell had rang announcing first period and all of the stragglers had left the parking lot, Jade jumped down from the roof and landed silently and gently. Only part of that perfect landing due to her powers, most from just pure skill and training. After making it down, she made her way to the Mankey boy's car and planted a small tracking device on it. Now all she had to do was follow him all day. Which wouldn't be hard, at least not once she went invisible. Calling upon the essence within her, she transferred the energy to her clothes and skin clouding her from everyone's vision. Even most heat sensors couldn't pick her up when she went into stealth mode. Just another one of the perks of being a solar exalted of the night caste. With that done she slipped inside and made her way to Josh Mankey's first class of the day…gym class.

Being in a shower with a man could sometimes be overrated. Then again sometimes it could be a downright religiously erotic experience. Jade had seen both sides of the fence on this issue and had to say that beyond the shadow of a doubt this time it was certainly overrated. Which probably had something to do with the fact that she was in a High School boys locker room shower. And not the personal one on one shower time she had experienced with that nice gentleman she had met in Spain a few years back. She really needed to find herself a steady guy friend one of these days and settle down again like she had done that one time about six hundred years ago. Yushuv hadn't even made fun of her when She had gotten married to Robert. In fact he had toasted her for finally giving up the 'trampish' lifestyle that she'd been living up until then. She couldn't help but grin when she remembered those days. She had been pretty happy with her wonderful husband and her two children and the ratty old dog. Yes, she was happy until it all started to fall apart. Which she knew it would. Not everyone was eternally youthful like Celestial exalts. She knew that Robert would die. She knew that she would have to watch him do so. Weather from some disease or just the slow decay of time. She also knew that her children would die. She had watched that happen to. Yet the grandchildren…Those were her precious babies and she just couldn't stand to watch death come and claim them to. That was when she had decided to kill herself. To go and join Robert and her children. That was when Dace had decided to show up. Just as she was about to plunge the knife into her still vibrant, healthy heart. It was Dace who convinced her to continue on. For if she didn't some other unfortunate soul would be cursed with her power, her eternal youth, and her memories. She owed Dace so much for that day, which was why she had joined his mercenary group Sol Unlimited and why she followed him to this day some five hundred and fifty some odd years later.

Today however, she really did not want to be under his command. The boys in the shower room were just that, boys. Immature and incredibly dim witted. They told dirty jokes that weren't funny and horsed around like a bunch of sissies at a slumber party. Yet she couldn't blame them…They were after all just kids. The only example she had of kids was Yushuv who was really just a kid to them seeing as he was the youngest. However, he was more mature than probably anyone in this school save herself. She made a note to herself to treat Yushuv with a bit more of the respect he deserved. Right now as she listened in on their conversation she could her Josh talking to his buddies about some Kim girl. She figured that he must have been referring to the redhead that was with him earlier by the comments he was making about 'carpet matching the overhead.' It was funny to Jade that in almost all her years, she hardly ever heard that phrased used in reference to anyone but a redhead. _I guess there really _isn't_ anything new under the _sun She chuckled inwardly at her own bad joke. She would have stayed and listened to more but Josh was getting extremely lude in his comments about the Kim girl. She wondered if this Kim had any idea of the rumors that this boy was spreading about her. Even after all these years of joke insults, and insults he had really meant at the time…Yushuv had never even come close to calling her those things and knowing him, he never would. The more time she spent here the more she appreciated Yushuv's maturity. Maybe she'd give him a go…there was a thought.

The rest of Mankey's day was uneventful and downright boring. He had all of the most boring classes, which Jade couldn't stand to sleep through even if she was cloaked and no one would bother her rest. So she decided to do some recon on how things were progressing with Yushuv and Ron. Things were progressing fantastically on that front. Ron actually trusted Yushuv and from the looks of things Yushuv actually trusted Ron right back. That would definitely make it easier for him to tell him about the exaltation when the time came. As well as make it easier for Ron to swallow the whole thing…considering how outrageous the whole mess always sounded whenever they had to tell a new exalt. There was one small negative factor though, the Kim girl. She did not trust Yushuv at all and from what he had told Jade about her, she and Ron had been very close friends for a great deal of time, well from a normal human's standpoint anyway. She might try to convince Ron to distance himself from Yushuv. However that scene earlier this morning indicated that Ron might not be that inclined to listen to the little git right now. This was working out just fine. She hoped that Yushuv was wrong about Josh being a Terrestrial. It would certainly complicate matters. Since Dragon-Blooded never strayed far from family. If there was one here, then there were probably others. Which meant that if they found out that She and the others were here, they could have a Wyld Hunt on their hands. Which was not fun no matter what time period you got caught up in one. They just didn't stop until they were all dead or the just couldn't find you no matter what they did to ferret you out. Which was scary, because they had a great deal of ways that they tried. She still had nightmares about the last Hunt. They had all barely escaped with their lives that time. Hell she still remembered her first Wyld Hunt. She'd almost died at least eight times that day. Eventually the end of the day arrived and it was time for the students to either head home or to their after school activities. Josh went to basketball practice and then headed home, without the redhead in tow she noticed. She was wondering about what had happened to Kim when she saw her talking to Ron with some other girl with dark skin. Jade found herself lingering on the dark skinned girl for a moment. For some reason she reminded Jade of her daughter Monica. Shaking her head she figured she'd let Yushuv handle extracting Ron from the ladies and focus her attention on following Josh Mankey via the tracking device she'd planted on his car earlier.

"Ron I don't trust this new kid." Kim said "He could be some scheme from Drakken or someone to split us up like they almost did that one time. Or are you forgetting the time travel sitch."

Ron sighed "Kim, I doubt very much that Yushuv is a spy from Drakken."

"Well, how do you know. I asked Wade to run a search on him and he found nothing." Kim said

"So, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Ron, if Wade didn't find anything, it can't be good. He couldn't even pull up so much as a birthday on the guy."

"And this matters to me…why?" Ron said

"Look he could be dangerous Ron, just stay away from him until we get enough info."

"No."

"It'll probably take a few…did you just say 'No'."

Ron nodded.

"Ron, Look. Wade…you know Wade right, super genius ten years old makes cool gadgets for our missions. _He_ couldn't find _anything _on this guy!"

"Kim, you're not listening."

"No, Ron you aren't listening. Yushuv is dangerous, I know it!"

"And like I said, you are not listening. I said I.DO.NOT. CARE. WHAT.YOU.THINK ANYMORE! He's my friend and I am not gonna let you sit hear and down talk him and try to force me to listen. When I try to tell you about Josh, you don't even hear me out! I'm done with this fighting with you. I can't take it anymore. This is the most I have talked to you in the past month. The past MONTH! Do you realize that…no? You know why? Because you're too busy with Josh Mankey to even give your BEST FRIEND SINCE PRE-K the time of day in a clock shop!"

"Ron…I"

"I'm not done yet K.P. cause I've been waiting to get this off my chest for a while. Mankey is a jerk! He really is, just ask some of the guys around school what he's been saying about you behind your back. I'm sure you'll need a pen and pad to keep track of all of the rumors that he's started in the showers during gym class. Hell, I got my ass kicked for trying to defend YOUR honor! Do I even get a 'Thank you Ron,' or 'You're a good friend Ron.' NO! You know what I get. 'Sorry Ron, I can't hang tonight. I gotta date with the jerk who wasn't even man enough to fight you himself but had his six foot enormous friend do it for him because he's such a coward.' So, you'll have to forgive me if I don't care for what you have to say about Yushuv. Someone who has been nothing but a better friend to me since he got here only one week ago then you have been for the past three months since Mankey rolled into your life."

At that point Yushuv walked up

"Hey Ron-man, what's going on?" Yushuv asked

"Just stay outta this you!" Kim growled

"You know what Kim? Back off!" Ron yelled angrily.

"Whoa, hold on a minute!" Yushuv called, "Everybody just chill for a moment. Now, what's this all about?"

"She says that I shouldn't trust you." Ron spoke up

"Really, why not?" Yushuv asked

"She thinks you're a spy for Dr. Drakken or something trying to get to her through me." He said

Yushuv laughed out loud. "Why would I use you to get to her?"

"Because I'm her faithful_ sidekick._" Ron said

"Right. Ok, let's get something straight right now. If I were some spy trying to do that, I would have had to drop Ron way before now and gone after Mankey. 'Cause this is the first time I've even been in the same room as you outside of class, and I do believe this is the first time I've even spoken to you Kim. Nice to meet you by the way." Yushuv stated all this matter-of-factly. "So we still go for that movie. Jade's coming along to if you don't mind Ron…I think she likes you."

"Yeah, right…I'm game." Ron said as he walked off towards the car

"Hey Ron, weren't you gonna invite Kim and Monique." Yushuv called after him as he ran to catch up with him.

"I was but Kim doesn't trust you remember. I doubt that she'd come."

_Damn, _Yushuv thought. He hadn't meant to totally alienate the kid from his friends. Gods knew that he'd be getting enough of that later on in life. He threw a worried look back towards Kim and Monique. Both of them simply stared back at him and Ron as they walked away. Only upside to this turn of events was that it might be a bit easier for him to cut his ties to friends that he hated right now. But Yushuv didn't like that idea at all…

Kim watched them leave, a painful tugging at her heart as she did so. She never dreamed that Ron, her Ron would ever blow up at her like that. It had hurt so badly that she had felt like she was falling into the deepest hole she could have imagined. Ron was her best friend. For him to say that someone else that he had only just met was being a better friend to him than her was, it was infuriating. She was so angry, but who was she angry with really. Yushuv turned his head to look back as they walked away. She heard him say something about their names but she couldn't tell what he was saying. Who cared, it was all his fault that Ron was becoming this detached. He looked back again, but when he did, instead of some evil malicious grin of victory, which Kim had expected to see. She saw genuine sorrow. He was…sorry that this was happening. But why? Why would he be sorry for ruining Her and Ron's friendship? Then it hit her. Because he never meant to do that in the first place. Maybe, she was being paranoid. But she had seen Wade's report. There was nothing on this guy at all. No info on even where he lived in the city. She had to be right, she had to be. So, why hadn't Ron believed her? Ron was her friend. Speaking of friends, why hadn't Monique backed her up. She turned to look at the young dark skinned girl. Monique was staring off into space. It was almost if she hadn't been listening the past few minutes. She supposed it was her own fault that Monique hadn't backed her up anyway, she'd been neglecting her as a friend too. She was admitting it to herself that she had been neglecting Ron. Which was good, it was the first step to repairing the bridges between them. She just hoped that their was still time. She thought about what Ron had said earlier about Josh having him beaten up. She couldn't imagine it, but Ron was her friend, he had no reason to lie to her, Especially not about something like that. He had never lied to her before. She decided that she had better look into this.

"Monique," She called to her friend who was still staring off into the distance.

"Uh Huh!" Monique said coming out of her deep thoughts.

"I need to find out something. Can you give me a ride?" Kim asked

"Uh yeah, where to?"

"Josh's house."

"Okay…sure…right." Monique had not taken her eyes from the direction she had been looking.

"Uh, You coming Mon?"

"Yeah, I'm coming girl." She said shaking her head and joining Kim. "So you gonna ask him if what Ron said is true?"

"No, I already know it is. It has to be. I just wanna know weather or not he's man enough to tell me to my face." Kim said her voice full of conviction. "And then I'm gonna go to Ron's and apologize."

"That's my girl!" Monique said throwing one last glance towards the direction the strangely familiar woman had gone.

Jade hadn't even needed the tracker to find Mankey's house. That weird feeling Yushuv was talking about hit her in the face like a car slamming into a brick wall at one hundred and seventy miles an hour. She knew that feeling well, there were Dragon-Blooded nearby and there were a good deal of them. She audibly groaned. This was not good at all. The house Mankey went into was typical of the neighborhood. It was a nice single family home and just about as normal as normal could get. Little lawn gnomes dotted the lawn, the grass was nice and green and properly mowed in a criss-cross pattern. The shutters were nicely painted and the whole property was well kept.

"Somebody's trying to blend in a little too much." Jade said as she parked her car down the street and got out. "Okay old girl, time to do a little recon."

Concentrating, Jade went into stealth mode and started to sneak up the block towards the house. Eventually she made her way to the back fence and climbed over and dropped into the back yard. _Piece of cake _She thought. Then something smacked into the side of her head and knocked her to the ground. Still reeling from the sudden attack Jade looked up and into the face of a middle-aged blonde woman who was grinning from ear to ear and holding a large battlestaff, the air around her vibrant with green light.

"It's been quite some time since I've seen one of your kind." The woman said staring directly at Jade even though she was cloaked. "So why don't you just come on and dispense with the solar trick and fight me openly."

Jade cursed inwardly, she hadn't even thought to grab anything even remotely weapon like before she had come in here. It didn't matter though. As long as this bitch didn't call any of her little family members to join her, Jade could take her easily enough.

"You asked for it lady." Jade said as she dug her hands into the ground and swung out her legs in a low sweep.

REWIND 

"Hey mom, dad, I'm home!" Josh said as he walked into the house.

"Hi honey, how was your day?" His mother asked

"Oh it was about as well as can be expected, until Kim and Ron got into it after school. We were supposed to be going out tonight." Josh complained

"Aww I wouldn't worry about it Son." His father said from the living room couch. "It's probably one of those friend arguments."

"They probably feel neglected that Kim has been spending so much time with you." His mother responded from the kitchen.

"Yeah I guess. So what's for dinner?"

"You'll just have to find out won't you?" His mother joked as he walked in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"The guessing game huh?" Josh joked back. "Should be fun."

Suddenly, Mrs Mankey felt something strange. It was a tingling at the back of her neck. Someone was here. Someone with a great power, a power she had not felt since she was in her college years and she was running with the Hunters chasing the anathema in Chicago. It was…a solar.

Without even missing a beat she turned to her son.

"Josh honey, why don't you go and get washed up for dinner. It'll be ready in a few minutes." She said.

"Sure thing Mom." Josh said as he rushed up the stairs.

Mrs. Mankey headed out into the backyard from the sliding window in the dining room and waited in a corner silently for her quarry calling her battlestaff to her by mental command. She only hoped she still knew how to use he thing.

PRESENT 

Jade and the Dragon-Blooded, which she had determined from her looks and her age, must be Josh's mother Mrs. Mankey, traded blows for a few quick seconds and broke. Neither giving or gaining any ground. Jade lunged in hard and fast aiming high. Mrs. Mankey swung her staff, the green light of her anima dancing along its length, in a high swipe intended to take off the solar's head, but Jade had planned on that and turned her high lunge into a low one aimed for the midriff. She speared Mrs. Mankey right in the gut and into ground. Then using her momentum rolled forward onto her hands and did a front handspring into the air landing upon the top of the fence and easily balancing herself upon it. Mrs. Mankey quickly recovered and jumped up to met Jade on the fence. Mrs. Mankey drove Jade back along the length of the fence by making quick jabs at her. Jade easily dodged the jabs and after one particularly slow and overextended thrust of the staff Jade spun, with carefully timed yet flawlessly and effortlessly preformed precision, behind the effective range of the staff and elbowed the Terrestrial in the face knocking her off of the fence. Mrs. Mankey hit the ground hard and took a moment to get back to her feet. Jade was already on top of her. She had leapt from the fence and come down with her feet into the small of Mrs Mankey's back, driving the woman into the ground even harder. Then in the same movement she flipped off of her back and landed in a crouch on the grass of the back yard.

Jade was about to go in for the kill when she remembered Dace's order when they first arrived in Middleton.

'No unnecessary bloodshed people. We can't afford to get into it with the locals. There really aren't that many places to hide.'

DING DONG

The front doorbell was ringing. Mrs Mankey looked towards the house as she could see her son rushing to the front door. She looked back over to the exalt, but she was already gone. This wasn't good. Solar Exalts were always bad news. That was why the Wyld Hunt existed. To hunt them down and keep order in the universe. It was a never-ending struggle. But for now there was nothing she could do except to call the others. If there was an Anathema here, they would have to put it down fast.

"Dace is _not_ gonna like this a _bit_!" Jade said as she hopped into her Porsche and started the engine. Then throwing one last glance to the Mankey house she saw the girl again. The one who had been standing with Kim during that little spat after school. She was standing by her car looking towards the door of the Mankey house. Jade looked to the door and saw Kim conversing with the Mankey boy. From the looks of the talk it was not going well for Mankey. The frustration on Kim's face was evident even from here. She was pissed, and pissed at the boy right in front of her. Jade knew what that was like. The desire for physical violence at times like those was damn near overwhelming.

"Serves the little git right! I hope she smacks him!" Jade said chuckling as she drove off.

She had to meet Yushuv and Ron at the movies, Dace wanted her to get to know Ron as well. 'The more he trusts us, the easier it'll be.' He had said. However, this Terrestrial situation could not afford to be put aside for too long. Dace and Lilith had to be informed about how she had royally screwed this up. Panther would laugh his ass off at this one. Jade sighed, at least she knew one thing. The Dragon-Blooded in this area were old and out of practice. They might not be able to mobilize and come after them if they moved fast enough. Which meant that things with Ronnie boy needed to progress at a faster pace. _Better leave that decision to Dace. _She thought.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Thanks to everybody who is reading. You know who you are. Anywho, that's chapter three. First action scene in the whole story. Don't worry though cause it sure ain't the last.

If you guys are wondering about the whole Kim and Josh thing…that's been going on for a while like five, four months in this story. Kim's been spending less and less time with her friends and more and more time with Josh.

Ron's been slipping into detachment from Kim for a while things are just now coming to a head with that. So it's not a rushed thing that Ron confronted Kim like he did in this chapter.

Monique has been up to some things…investigating certain…well I'm not gonna give it away, but one thing I really like doing is trying to explore parents that aren't shown on the series. Anybody ever realize that we don't see anyone besides Kim and Ron's parents. Not to mention that the only teacher we ever see is Barkin. But I guess this stuff gets lost in the action packedness of a thirty minute cartoon. Oh well.

Chapter Four: I'm gonna be working on it as much as possible. Expect it by maybe the end of this week either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Soon either way. I'm getting into this story now.


	4. The Calm

Disclaimer: KP and Exalted are not mine. If they were, then Exalted would have been an animated feature length trilogy or at least an hour long weekly series. Not to mention that Kim Possible would be a lot more mature. But then It wouldn't have done as well as it has so there you go.

* * *

Prior Warning chapter five will contain violence. I warning you now so that you don't read on if you don't want to read about a great many people dying…Let's just say that this chapter is the end of act one. I had a teacher once who told me that act one was always your establishing act, the act where you build everything and everyone that are important to your story and act two is the act where everything goes all to hell! The act where you get to utterly destroy just about all of what you built in act one, the act where good gets jumped in a dark alley by evil and left for dead. If you think about it, which I did after he told me that, all of the greatest stories in history go by the three act system. Just for example…Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Exalted, Dragonlance, etc. Just to name a few.

Act three is the resolution, for good or evil…a lot of people don't understand that just because a conflict is resolved doesn't mean that the good guys won. I'm sure those of you who have seen Star Wars Eps. III by now understand what I mean by a Dark resolution.

So far I have only gotten two reviews. Thanks guys and I will answer your questions.

Charles Gray…WOW Praise from Caesar…first of all…Man I love your fics, especially the Buried/C&S/Fire & Darkness thing…pure genius. When are you gonna finish Senior year, man? Not to rush you cause I know how writers block is. It was just getting really good! But, to answer your questions, there are definitely other exalts that are running around. Including all of the ones you mentioned. Lilith, the Lunar that hangs with Dace…you know her right…she's part of Dace's Merc group called Sol Unlimited. They have been operating for about six to five hundred years and have been involved in some way in just about every major conflict in the history of the world since then. They're the best but rarely anyone knows about them. Dragon-Blooded are there as you have no doubt noticed if you've read the third chapter…Thing are gonna heat up on that front soon. The other exalts…Sidreals, Deathlords…etc they'll be coming into play soon as well. Also expect a reappearance of an old friend and some old enemies as well.

Prof. Fishmiester…Thanks man, I tend to think that my writing is bad. This is actually the first time I have posted anything I've written for a vast group of people to see. So I hope you like it and keep reading.

Those are the only people who have reviewed…I'm slightly depressed. But I'm not gonna stop writing…cause now I wanna see what happens…funny, I should know what is going to happen because I'm writing this right? If that were true, I'd be less inclined to write. Now I'm obsessed with writing to see what happens next just like you guys read to find out. Scary huh? None of us know what gonna go down next. I have a vague idea…but that transforms from time to time.

Okay that's enough of that…That's like a whole page of just me not writing the story.

Time for…

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CHAPTER THREE 

Kim strode towards the Mankey residence with purpose in her steps. It felt a bit strange to be coming to this house, without her mind racing over what kind of 'fun' she'd be having with Josh that day. However her reasons for being here would not allow her to sacrifice any focus thinking on those things. Today she was here for a confrontation. Today she was here because her best friend had yelled at her. Ron Stoppable had yelled…at _her!_

In all of the years she had known him, Ron had never yelled at her like that…_ever_. It scared her beyond anything she had seen in the 'save the world' gig. If it had not have been for the serious face he had been making she would have thought it was a sick joke. It hurt her to her core and what was worse…he had every right to do so. He had told her the truth, she knew he had. Ronald Dean Stoppable never lied to anyone. He was completely honest, even to a fault. He was he biggest boy scout anyone could ever know. That was why she was here now. Because Ron had _never_ lied to her before, so why would he start now?

Stepping up to the front door, Kim shot a glance back to Monique who was waiting in the car. She had not wanted to get in the way of what was about to go down. At least that was what she had said as Kim had stepped out of he car. Reaching up, Kim pressed the doorbell and waited. She could hear the sound it made as it chimed its tone throughout the house. A few moments later the door opened.

"Hey Kim, what's up?" Josh said as he opened the door.

"Josh we need to talk." Kim said dryly

"Sure thing Kim, come inside." Josh motioned

"That wouldn't be a good idea. I'm pretty sure your folks won't want to hear this." She said

"Oh," Josh grinned "Is that so."

He stepped outside and shut the door to the house.

"So what are we talking about?" Josh said wrapping his arms around Kim's waist.

Kim brushed him off and continued

"What's this I hear about Ron getting beat up at school in the locker rooms?" She said bluntly.

"What?" Josh said shock coming to his face.

Kim thought that this might be a good sign. Maybe, one of Josh's less savory acquaintances took it upon themselves to hurt Ron for…some…reason. No that wasn't it. The shock on Josh's face was more of, 'Oh my God, how did she find out about that?'

"Well?" She said impatiently.

"Well what? I haven't even heard about it." Josh defended

"Hmm, that's interesting, because Ron says that you were there when it happened. He said it had been your idea." Kim explained.

"Well it's obvious that he's lying." Josh said

"Oh, really?" Kim said

"Of course Kim."

"So you weren't there?" Kim asked.

"NO!" Josh said.

"And you didn't tell someone to do it for you or anything like that?"

"No Kim, I mean why would I do that? Why would I tell Big Tony to beat up Ron? He's you're friend, even though he's been treating you like dirt lately, and now he's lying to you to try to break us up."

"He succeeded." Kim said simply

"What? What do you mean?" Josh asked.

"It's all true isn't Josh? You did do it, and you have been spreading rumors behind my back!" Kim said hotly.

"No I haven't! Kim what proof does Ron have that I did any of the things that he's accusing me of? Does he have anything?"

Kim merely frowned.

"I didn't think so." Josh said

"I know you did it Josh, just fess-up."

"And how do you know this?" Josh asked with a smirk

"Because I never mentioned Big Tony being the one to beat Ron up. If you didn't know anything about the sitch then you wouldn't have either. That means you just lied to me and I caught you in it."

Josh tried to respond but Kim put a finger to her lips.

"Don't lie anymore to cover up your other lies. We're through Josh Mankey. If you'd lie to me about this…then I know I can't trust you to tell me the truth about anything else."

"So, you're gonna take Stoppable's word over mine?"

"Any day of the week. He's never lied to me. You have. See my logic?" Kim turned to go back to the car but heard Josh call her something that made her change her mind. She turned back to him to give him something to remember her by…

**SLAP

* * *

**

Kim's hand still stung from the slap that she had given Joss Mankey across the face. Her skin was hotter than the fires of hell itself…In fact, it had been all she could do to merely just slap him and tell him they were through rather than kick his ass all over his own front lawn. He was betraying her right behind her back. Not to mention seeing someone else at the same time as well. At least that was what she gathered from the sight of some slightly older girl making a mad dash from his back yard as if she were on the lam. Just after the girl had disappeared from sight, Mrs. Mankey poked her head above the fence as if looking for someone. Kim really didn't care anymore. It was just another thing Josh had done behind her back. Just like Ron had said. Now she felt even worse about not believing him earlier. She had to apologize. She had promised him when they were just in pre-k that she'd never doubt him ever! She had pinky-sworn it, which was just as binding as signing in blood. At least it had been when they were kids. Still, Ron had never ever lied to her, even when she had lied to him that one Holloween. He had never been anything but honest with her. So why hadn't she believed him? She told as much to Monique who merely nodded and said.

"Sometimes, we lose our way Kim. We forget who has got our backs when a pretty face or someone who treats us nice struts by. It happens to all of us. Even Ron."

Kim nodded back as she walked with Monique to her car. That much was true. Even now Ron was hanging out with that Yushuv kid instead of listening to her. Not that Yushuv was a pretty face distracting Ron from who had his back…eugh! Ron wasn't like that…at least she was pretty sure he wasn't. He would have told her if he was…_Ok, hop off this subject and get a ticket for a new train of thought girl._ Kim thought to herself. This Yushuv guy was bad news though. She had a gut feeling about it. Maybe if she told him that he had been right about Josh, and that she had just needed a swift kick in the pants to get her to see it he would listen to her about Yushuv? It was definitely worth a shot. He was going to the movies tonight, so all she had to do was catch him there and give him a good talking to.

* * *

"Two for 'Zombies Wanna Eat My Brain XVII' please." Ron said with a smile.

Yushuv groaned. He still remembered the first installment of the cult classic. It had irked him that the zombies just moved so incredibly slowly and were completely unthreatening. He had seen real zombies…well they were actually called nemissaries, but they were mean buggers and they were fast, strong and agile as hell! Not to mention that whole ability to jump from one dead body to the next at a moment's notice. Oh and that whole sucking the life-force/soul right outta people. That wasn't fun. Not that he knew first hand and he wanted to keep it that way. However it never looked like much fun when he had seen it happen to people.

Ron came back with the tickets with a grin on his face. "Booyah!" He said simply.

Yushuv rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you wanna see this movie?" he asked.

Ron looked confused "Yeah, zombies rock dude!"

_Until you're face to face with one, in the bottom of a cave, in the middle of nowhere, without anywhere to hide, and you've got no choice but to fight your way out._ Yushuv thought to himself

"Yeah," Yushuv said as sincerely as he could manage "Zombies…uh…rock! Listen, you go score us some seats while I pick up some snacks."

Ron nodded and was off in no time.

_Why did I let him pick the movie?_ Yushuv asked himself with an audible sigh.

Just then Yushuv's cellphone rang in his pocket. It must have been Jade telling him that she was on her way or something. Sure enough when he looked at the small screen Jade's name and number appeared. He pressed the button and the phone snapped open. Placing it to his ear he answered.

"What's up Jade?"

"Yushuv, I need you back at HQ now!" Jade said on the other end. She sounded slightly disturbed.

"Jade, what happened?" Yushuv asked.

"Mankey. Turns out that you were right. Mankey is a Dragon-Blood and so is his mother." Jade said in an irritated tone

Yushuv frowned. "Really, I take it from your tone of voice, that the recon didn't go as well as you had hoped?"

"I was spotted." Jade said simply

All color drained from Yushuv's face "Shit, Jade!"

"I know, I know!" She said defensively. "The bitch sensed me somehow! Damn near knocked the bajezzes outta me with a battlestaff."

"While you were cloaked?" Yushuv asked already knowing the answer and not liking it one bit.

"Yup, and you know what that means…" Jade trailed off.

"She's a huntsman." Yushuv said swearing profusely under his breath.

"I'm headed back to HQ. Dace has called an emergency briefing. So, you gentlemen are gonna have to cut your movie short." Jade said

"All right, I'm on my way. Yushuv out." Yushuv pressed the button again and the phone snapped back shut. "Sorry Ronnie boy, no Zombies tonight." He said to himself starting for the theatre to tell him that they had to go so that he could take him home.

Suddenly, the doors to the theatre opened and in strutted an attractive redheaded girl dressed in a cheerleading outfit and an equally attractive dark-skinned young lady dressed in a casual red sweater and black jeans. Yushuv got a quick idea.

"Hey Kim, Mon, over here!" He called waving.

Kim and Monique saw the boy waving them over and turned towards him.

"Where's Ron?" Kim asked simply.

"Oh he's in the theatre." Yushuv replied.

"Yeah, which one?" Monique asked

"I dunno, something about zombies and brains. Listen ladies, I need to ask a favor of you two."

"Oh, and what's that?" Kim asked sarcastically.

"Cute," Yushuv continued. "I need you to hang with Ron. I just got a phone call from my cousin, and some important stuff just came up. I need to get back home ASAP. So could you tell Ron I'm sorry and that I had to go? Please?"

Kim and Monique looked at each other and then back at Yushuv who stood there with a pleading look on his face.

"Oh all right." Kim sighed "We'll tell him. You just go."

"Thank you so much, ladies. I owe you a boon." Yushuv said taking off. "See ya at school tomorrow."

"Uh, right." Monique said watching him go. "Did he just say 'boon'?"

"I think so, but it doesn't matter. Let's go find Ron." Kim said.

"Shouldn't be that hard." Monique said then looking at the movie titles she shook her head

" 'Zombies took my brain II', 'Night of the living brain Zombies' 'Me, My Zombie and My Brain', 'Zombie Trek' 'Zombie Raider' 'Triple Z'" Kim rattled off the titles.

"What's 'Triple Z'?" Monique asked.

"Ron told me about it when we saw the trailer for it last summer. It's short for 'Zombies Zombies Zombies'."

"Riiiiight." Monique said slightly confused "Is it just me or is there some sort of theme going on over there in Hollywood this season?"

Kim nodded.

"Just how do you expect we find Ron? Yushuv gave us about enough clues to find a needle in a haystack." Monique joked.

Kim stopped suddenly, "That's the one!" She said with confidence

Monique read the title. "'Zombies Wanna Eat My Brain XVII?'"

"He's in there." Kim said confidently

"And you figure this how?" Monique asked

"It's the only movie here with Zombies, Brains, and four roman numerals. It'd be like dangling a free shopping spree at Club Banana in front of _us_. He couldn't resist."

"Point taken." Monique said as they bought two tickets.

* * *

"Where is Yushuv, he's gonna miss the beginning of the movie?" Ron asked of no one. Out of his pocket, he heard a small squeaky voice respond with an "Iunno." and a shrug. Rufus climbed out and made faces at the lack of popcorn. Ron sighed and looked at his watch. It was almost time for the movie to start. Where was Yushuv?

"Ron…" a voice whispered from the back of the theatre.

Ron sat up and turned his head to the back to see Kim and Monique standing there looking for him in the crowded theatre.

Kim spotted him when he turned around. He had seen her as well. At first his face had lightened up, but then it turned into an angry look and he turned back around.

"Hey Kim, I'm gonna let you two handle this." Monique said grabbing a seat by the exit. "I'll be here when you're done."

Kim nodded and walked down the aisle toward where Ron was sitting and started to slide her way past people already in their seats.

"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry, watch it, HEY whose hand was that?" She said as she made her way to Ron.

A loud 'SHHHSSSSHH!' was the only response she received as the lights went down in the theatre and the movie started. Sitting down in the seat next to Ron she tentatively looked over at him.

"Hey," was all she could say.

"That seat is saved." Ron replied.

"Actually, Yushuv had to take off. He said something about family stuff coming up and he was sorry." Kim explained.

"Oh." Ron said.

Kim was silent for a few moments and then leaned in to whisper to Ron in his ear. Ron couldn't hear her though because the opening scene was some chase scene and the music had grown rather loud.

"What?" He asked.

Kim spoke a little louder but to no avail.

"What?" Ron asked again.

"I said we need to…"

'SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH'

The music had died down suddenly and the theatre was quite save for the people complaining about the 'redhead making too much noise.'

Dialing her voice beack to a whisper she said firmly "We need to talk Ron."

"I don't really see what there is to talk about Kimberly." Ron snapped.

Kim was hurt. Ron never used that version of her name before…at least not in that tone of voice. "Ron…" She pleaded looking at him.

Ron didn't look at her. Instead he kept his gaze focused on the screen ahead.

"Could you…at least…look at me?" Kim said starting to feel tightness in her chest.

Ron turned to her, anger clearly evident on his face. "What Kim?"

"I think…I think I know…what this is about." Kim said.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Ron paused before responding. "You should know, I told you what it was about."

"I think that there is more than just the Josh sitch that's been bothering you. Something maybe that happened…four months ago." She watched his reaction. She knew that this was still a tender subject for Ron. He still blamed himself for what happened that day.

Ron tensed up when he heard those words. How dare she bring up that day? She knew how he felt about it. Knew that he hadn't been able to trust himself the same way ever since that day. She knew he blamed himself. Most of all she knew he didn't like to talk about it. He remembered it all like it was yesterday. The fire, the noise, the smoke. He hadn't been able to even see clearly. He hadn't known that Felix was still in that car when it gave in to the heat and then…

Ron didn't say a word.

"I…you're mad at me. Because…I didn't let…you go back…to save him." Kim said voicing her theory.

Ron kept his eyes forward.

"I don't blame you for being mad." Kim said as tears began to build up in her eyes. "I don't blame you for hating me."

"Kim, I don't…" Ron started

"Yes you do." Kim said, "I know you do."

She had seen it in his eyes the day of the funeral. The way they seemed to burn right through her. It was as if they could see the selfish desire behind them that had caused her to hold him back, to keep him from running into the destruction to save one of the few friends he had.

"Kim…" Ron started.

"I just couldn't let you go back Ron." Kim had dropped her face into her hands.

"Well why not Kim?" Ron asked angrily. "I could have done something maybe, got Felix out of that car before…"

"There wasn't anything you could have done Ron!" Kim said to him.

Everyone had told her that she had done the right thing by holding him back. It had taken every ounce of strength to fight him to the ground. He had struggled so hard to get free, even after the car had exploded. It had all happened so fast. Ron didn't see it that way though, and she knew it. He saw every second that she held him down as a second he could have potentially spent rescuing his wheelchair bound friend.

SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"OH SHUT THE HELL UP!" Kim yelled back before turning back to Ron and dropping her voice again.

"If I had let you go back, you would have been with him when the car exploded. You would have gotten seriously hurt…or even…" She shuddered to think it, but to say it…she couldn't dare voice the word.

"Died, like Felix did!" Ron said.

Kim winced.

"Well so what then? Why shouldn't I have died in the car with him?"

"Because…because…I need you Ron!" Kim said a single tear sliding down her face.

Ron had had enough, that line was B.S. She was Kim Possible for crying out loud

"Oh yeah, _you_ Kim Possible, the girl who can do anything needs _me_. Ron Stoppable, the guy who can't do _anything_ right."

"Yeah Ron, I do need you." Kim said. "Because no matter what everyone says about me, I _know_ for a fact that I can't do _anything_ without you fighting by my side."

"Well you sure haven't shown it lately." Ron said.

"Yeah okay, I'll admit that I've been a complete bitch lately."

"Kim…" Ron started

"I know you don't like me using that term but it's true." Kim said, "I've been neglecting you and Monique. And what's worse, is that I didn't even believe you when you told me about Josh."

Ron stayed quite. She had a point there.

"I didn't listen to you Ron." Kim was crying openly now. She didn't care anymore. "I made you a promise when we were like five and I didn't keep it."

"You promised to always believe me." Ron said.

"I know, and I broke it. I trusted a guy I barely even know more than my best friend in the whole world." Kim paused smiling "The guy who was my friend before anyone even knew who I was. Before I was the girl who could do anything."

"You remember that?" Ron asked

"We pinky swore." She stated with a serious expression on her face as if said act had been a legally binding contract.

Ron laughed. "Yeah, we did didn't we?"

Kim nodded wiping tears from her eyes. "Ron, I know it seems as if sometimes I can do it all alone. But the truth of the matter is…I couldn't even stand to get up in the morning if I couldn't see you. That's why I held you back. I didn't want to…I _couldn't_ lose you. You mean too much to me."

"Kim, what are you talking about?"

"I'm trying to tell you that our friendship means more to me than _Josh_, or _school_, or _cheer squad_, or…the _missions_, or…_anything_! Even my own _life_!" Kim said, "I'm trying to tell you that I _love_ you Ron. You're my best friend, and_ I love you_. I'm not willing to lose you…_ever_. So I guess that's what I'm trying to say."

Ron was shocked.

"Then why?"

"Josh? Because, I thought that after…Felix…I thought that you hated me. Thought you wouldn't ever wanna be near me. The solo missions, I took them because I was afraid. I was afraid…that you could get hurt. That I could lose you to some maniac with some sick twisted demented plan for global domination. So I went without you…to keep you safe."

"K.P. you can't make that decision for me! I chose to go on all of those missions with you from day one. I knew the risks, and even if I didn't know them then, I know them very well now. I still choose to go. I choose to help people, to help you."

"But why Ron? Why go when you know what it could cost you?" Kim asked

"Because of what I could lose if I didn't." Ron responded "You're my best friend, I need you just as badly as you need me Kim. I don't even wanna think about a world where we can't be friends…Where I can't be with you."

SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"I guess we were both being a little stupid huh?" Kim said, she had stopped crying but the tears still stained her face.

"Yeah, we need to work on our communication skills." Ron said smiling

"More like we need to listen to each other more. I know about Josh now by the way."

"Yeah, look K.P. I'm sorry I told you like that…I was…mad!"

"I'm not sorry at all Ron." Kim said. "You were totally right. I mean he was really doing those awful things behind my back…some things even you didn't know about it seems." She said remembering the young woman dashing out of his backyard. It seemed rather funny to her. Usually, you heard bout he guy having to make a mad dash to escape the girl's father. Not the girl escaping the guy's mother "I didn't even see it. I guess I didn't want to."

"Yeah, well I'm still sorry it had to go down like that K.P." Ron said

"I suppose." Kim said "But at least now, I know who my real friends are."

"That's always good to know." Ron said smiling

"Yup." Kim said "So do you mind if I watch the movie with you?"

"Not at all, but I doubt that Monique wants to sit up there through the whole thing." Ron grinned "I'd rather go get something to eat if you don't mind."

Kim smiled and stood up "Bueno Nacho?"

"Booyah!" Ron said standing up and sliding out of the row with Kim hand in hand.

Some people complained about them getting in the way, but they didn't care. Monique still sat in her chair at the back staring at the screen.

"Hey Mon, you ready to go?" Kim asked.

Monique held up her right index finger in a gesture of 'wait one second.'

On screen, there was a zombie with a chainsaw running after someone in an empty park after dark.

"You two go on ahead, I'll catch up later." Monique said as a blood curdling scream escape some poor unfortunate's mouth on the screen. "This is getting good."

Kim and Ron shrugged and still hand in hand walked out of the theatre and into the cool night.

* * *

"So just how many are there?" Panther asked when Jade had finished her report.

"I honestly don't know. I only know that the mother is definitely a huntress and the boy is at least coming into his powers. I didn't feel anything coming off of the boy specifically, but if Yushuv did, I wouldn't doubt it seeing as it's a sure thing with the mother."

Lilith nodded. "Yushuv has always been a bit more exalt sensitive that any of us here have."

"I agree, so we need to start planning our next move." Dace said.

"Wow, I didn't know you thought that highly of me Dace." Yushuv said as he strode in through the entrance to the Situation Room as Dace called it. It was nothing more than the main offices of an abandoned strip club in Lowerton, which they had moved into as a temporary base of operations.

"Ah, good. How'd it go with Ron? Hope he wasn't too upset." Jade said

"Actually, I left him with Kim and their friend Monique and jetted right over. Saved me a good fifteen minutes and let me get here in time to hear Dace shower me with praise."

"Hey, what can I say?" Dace chuckled "You had a damn good teacher kid, not my fault if I rubbed off on you."

"Yeah whatever." Yushuv said as he took his seat across from Panther. "So what _is_ our next move?"

"We have to bring the kid in…now." Dace stated.

"Whoa, what?" Yushuv asked

"We can't afford to beat around the bush any longer. If the Dragon-Blooded know we're here, then there'll be a Wyld Hunt on our tails in no time. I for one do not want a repeat of our little escapade in Chicago, what was it? Twenty-three years ago was it?"

All of the exalts around the table sat quietly. They remembered the last Wyld Hunt very well. They had lost one of their own, Arianna to the Terrestrials that time. No one here wanted to see that happen again.

"If the Hunt goes active…there's a chance that they'll find him instead of us." Dace continued "And if that happens, he's not gonna stand a chance. They'll kill him and they won't give a damn that he doesn't know a thing about his power. We all know it."

"I concur." Lilith said, "The boy needs to be defended and trained. Ours is a power too raw and destructive to be left unchecked, not to mention the fact of the unusual circumstances of his exaltation. He must be kept safe so that we can determine what these signs mean."

"Wild thing is right." Panther said using his term of endearment for Lilith that stemmed from her battle style. "We gotta bring him in for his own good, as well as those around him. This Dragon-Blood threat only means that we need to do it ASAP instead of trying it slow."

"So who's gonna do it?" Yushuv asked

They all looked at him

"Whoa, whoa no. I can't. I've only known the guy a week." Yushuv said

"That's longer than any of us have." Dace stated matter-of-factly.

"He won't believe me. It's _too_ much, _too_ fast!" Yushuv said.

"He has to Yushuv, or we all…could very well…be royally screwed." Panther said.

"This isn't like telling somebody that they just won the damn lottery tough guy! This is like telling them that their life is over. Which, is effectively close to the truth. He'll be hunted for pretty much the rest of his life. With no hope for any brighter tomorrow or any semblance of a normal life." Yushuv said with a fiery passion.

Jade noticed the look in his eyes. She could see the sadness there. That was probably what Yushuv wanted in his life. Just to be normal. Jade couldn't count the times she had wished that she had never been given her powers. She had cursed her eternal youth when she watched her family grow older while she had not. She could only imagine that Yushuv felt the same way only more so. He had been stuck in the body of a teenage boy for centuries. His hormones were probably always in constant upheaval. She wondered how he stayed so cool most of the time. The only reason she had been such a 'loose woman' in the first place was because hers were the same way. _Why am I thinking about Yushuv's hormones?_ She thought to herself. _Yours are most likely acting up again, that's why girl._ Jade blew out an audible sigh and left to go to her room. Dace would get Yushuv to tell Ron about his exaltation tomorrow, there was no doubt about it. Mainly because Yushuv knew that it had to be done and that he was the only one who could do it. Secondly, because Dace was the only one who could get Yushuv to do something like this that he was vehemently set against. No one else was needed for the conversation that would no doubt last well into the night and Jade was sure that she would be getting no sleep for a while after tonight. _Damn Dragon-Blooded, they're always screwing stuff up for us._ She thought to herself _there should be a law.

* * *

_

Elsewhere, in darkness unimagined in the deepest depths of human conception a voice called to one whom it deemed it servant.

******Arise.**

Nearby, a figure stirred and sat up in the darkness.

******The time has come…for you to do our bidding once more.**

The figure rose to it's knees but stayed in a kneeling posistion.

"Yes, my masters."

******A great power has arisen…he must be brought to us.**

"What must I do?" The figure asked

******What you do best…destroy.**

The figure nodded as an evil grin spread across it's face.

"Of course my masters. What is it that you would have me destroy?"

******His humanity…**

"How shall I accomplish this?" the dark figure asked

******His family, his friends, everything that means anything to him. He must be broken. Only then will he be able to serve us.**

"Yes masters."

******Do not fail us again servant.**

"I will not fail."

******See that you do not, or your past centuries of torture and despair will seem as not but a small discomfort.**

The figure rose, his body exactly as he remembered it. His black lacquered armor, The large adder-bladed sword sheathed across his back, A shield with a single spike centered in its boss.

******Do what you must but not let him lay eyes upon you or it will be for naught.**

He nodded

******Go forth and bring us victory…go forth…**

The figure began to become cloaked with a blackness even darker than his current environment, if that was possible. He found himself fading from existence in this plane to be taken to another. Eventually he disappeared from view.

******Go forth…Ratcatcher.

* * *

**

"So, there is a Solar in Middleton?" The voice on the phone spoke.

"Yes." Mrs Mankey replied

"Is it just the one?"

"I'm not sure, but she seemed familiar."

"What do you mean?"

"I seem to tracking her that time in Chicago." Mrs Mankey said.

"So, she is one of the mercenaries?" The voice asked.

"I believe so, but I am not sure. What should we do father?"

"There is only one choice…" He said simply "Call forth the hunt."

* * *

A place of abundant light… 

**********Our enemies have begun to position themselves.**

"Yes, they have at that." The priest said.

**********The time has come to arm my apprentice.**

"Good idea, good luck with that."

**********Come now priest, I have need of you once more**

"Oh no, I'm through being your celestial gopher!"

**********The boy needs your instruction, your skills, your wisdom.**

"And I care why?"

**********The fate of all depends on your decision.**

"Don't you guilt trip me! I died for your stupid cause last time remember?"

**********You do not fool me priest, I know you wish to aid him. You simply wish to know what you have to gain from the matter.**

"Do you read us all like books? Or is it just my fault for being too transparent."

**********This shall be a grand battle priest, but there is peace at the end of this dark night. You shall have what was promised to you in the beginning.**

"Well 'it's about damn time' is all I can say!"

**********Take this to him. He will know where to find his other belongings but I believe he will need this soon.**

"Yeah, yeah, go for this, go for that. Destiny, blah blah blah."

The priest was enveloped in a bright golden light and was gone.

**********It is coming full circle now…the sides are set, and the battle is nigh to be joined…Trust and believe in yourself Ron…you must not fail.**

**********To**

**********Be **

**********Continued…

* * *

**

**********END OF ACT ONE**

**********That's right folks, Ratcatcher's back and he's been given his marching orders. Not only that, but the hunt is on for the mercs of Sol Unlimited. Will Ron accept his fate…his destiny, or will he fall to the dark ones designs? And who is this mysterious priest! You probably already know and if you don't well you'll see soon as all the questions and more will be answered in the next chapter. Act two begins next time and trust me…saying that things are gonna get shaken up here is a vast understatement.**


	5. The Storm Begins

Disclaimer: The You know…did you know what, to you know who…let just keep that between me and you…I don't own Kim Possible or Exalted or SuperRobotMonkeyTeamHyperForceGO! Or Jesus Christ Superstar or Lethal Weapon XXVII Lethal Geezers. Or Pokemon…why would I want to? Or the Art of War. Which just pisses me off to no end.

Darkness is falling in this chapter so be prepared

One of my reviewers brought up a point that exalts don't live as long as I am claiming them to. Well to that I say… "They do in my little world!"

* * *

Chapter Five 

Yushuv sat silently on a bench outside of the High School wondering just how he was going to go through with this whole thing. He had done this before, telling an exalt of their new power. They called it 'Dropping the Bomb.' But it was never easy, and it didn't get any more so with practice. Sure it became easier to explain the actual 'mechanics' of the deal, but getting someone to understand and accept it were two different things. He wondered how Ron would take this knowledge. He wondered if Ron would even believe him at all. Yushuv had to trust that Ron might already suspect something because of the dreams. It was going to be really difficult. Before, when the plan was to bring Ron in slowly, Yushuv could have dropped hints and let Ron gradually come to the realization that he was different and then Yushuv would tell him. It would be easy for Ron to accept under those circumstances, he would have already started to exhibit signs and his powers and awareness would have already begun to start kicking in. Under those ideal circumstances, Ron would accept the knowledge of his exaltation as a revelation that explained everything and gave him peace of mind. Yushuv, however, was not dealing with the ideal circumstances.

In all likelihood the Dragon-Blooded were already on their way to Middleton to begin the Wyld Hunt. If that happened, it was only a matter of time before they found Ron and hunted him down. There was only one place that he would be safe, and that was with Dace and Sol Unlimited. So, there really was no choice except to bring him into the loop and teach Ron to defend himself. The latter, being the easier of the two…but not by much. Soon enough he saw Ron. He was walking with Kim and they were…laughing? _Well, it looks like they've patched things up._ Yushuv thought to himself. That was good. He was hoping that they would get a chance to talk when he had asked them to hang with Ron last night at the movies. The Blonde looked happier than Yushuv had seen him since he had gotten here. Which wasn't all together a good thing, At least not for Yushuv. Ron really wouldn't see any reason to put his old life aside and take up the life of being one of the most powerful beings in the universe/hunted as anathema. If he had been given a choice like that, Yushuv would have remained a simple urchin in Qut Toloc. Life as an exalt was not a pleasure cruise. However, Ron's life was not likely to last long if Yushuv didn't make his move. So, standing to his feet as the pair of best friends approached him Yushuv cleared his throat, put on his best smile and called out a greeting.

"Hey Ron, what's up man!"

Ron turned his attention from Kim to Yushuv.

"Hey Yushuv my man, not much, you?" Ron said

"Uh pretty much the same. Hi Kim, how are you?" Yushuv said turning his smile to Kim.

"I'm…a lot better." She said with a grin. "I'm guessing that that was your plan."

"Not originally," Yushuv said "but I figured that you were probably there to straighten things out with Ron here and I didn't wanna get in the way." He half lied.

"Thanks either way, Yushuv. I guess I misjudged you. I'm sorry if I offended you at all." Kim apologized.

"It's quite all right Kim." Yushuv said

He hesitated for a moment, wondering just how he was going to bring this up. He couldn't do it with Kim there though. So he had to get Ron by himself. He could wait until class, but Yushuv figured it wouldn't do to have Ron trying to focus on class and exaltation at the same time. He also wanted to do this outside for some reason. _Maybe so the Unconquered Sun can give me strength._ He thought to himself with a laugh.

"Uh Ron, can…uh I talk to you for a minute?" Yushuv asked.

"Sure shoot." Ron said

"Actually, uh…I meant alone?" Yushuv said

"Hey whatever you wanna say to me you can say with Kim here." Ron said with a smile "She's my best friend."

"Well, actually, it's a guy thing." Yushuv lied.

"OH, all right. Kim if you'll excuse us guys. We gotta go talk…uh guy stuff." Ron said.

Kim grinned and let them go. "See you at lunch later Ron."

Ron waved and walked with Yushuv towards the courtyard.

"Ok man, what's this guy stuff that you gotta tell me about?" Ron asked.

"Well actually Ron, I lied. It's not guy stuff. I just needed to get you away from Kim before I told you about this."

Ron shrugged. "What's so secret about this that you can't tell Kim?"

Yushuv sighed "I know Ron. She's your best friend and that's great and it's wonderful. But what I'm about to tell you is pretty sensitive information. When I'm done explaining this all, you'll understand why."

"Yushuv, dude what's this about?" Ron asked.

"Ron, have you ever heard the story of the first age of man?" Yushuv asked simply.

This was how he usually started because the usual response always led him into telling said story.

"No, what's that?"

"It's an old tale that has been passed down throughout the ages."

"What's it about?" Ron asked.

"Well you see, a long time ago before the world was formed there was a war. It was a war between the Celestial gods and their enemies." Yushuv began.

"The Celestial gods, needed soldiers for their war of course and they got them by exalting normal men and women with the power of the gods."

"What?" Ron asked

"What they did was, they gave normal mortals access to their powers and abilities. They made them stronger, faster, smarter, better. Essentially, they turned them into demigods. These, 'Exalts', used their powers to fight against the enemies of the gods and drive them into exile. After the war was over, the gods gave dominion over the earth to their chosen. The most powerful of these were the chosen of the god known as the Unconquered Sun. These solar exalts were given reign over all over all other exalts. With their power they presided over a golden, peaceful age that became known as the First Age of Man."

"Cool story." Ron said.

"It's not over. You see, because like most peaceful empires, the Age of the Solars was doomed to end in bloodshed." Yushuv continued "According to the histories, the Solars went mad and had to be put down before they destroyed all of creation. That wasn't the truth however, the truth was that the Solars very own trusted lieutenants the Terrestrial Exalteds, who traced their lineage back to the Elemental Dragons, betrayed them in collusion with Exalts known as Sidereals. They usurped the Solars power and hunted them all down. Then when they had effectively taken power, they taught the people of the world to hate a fear the Solars. Now, no one even remembers the First Age of Man."

"Yushuv, why are you talking about it like it's some true story?" Ron said "It's just a myth, and why are you telling me this stuff anyway?"

"Ron, it's not just some myth." Yushuv said.

"What are you talking about man?"

"It's true Ron. It's all the truth. It all really happened." Yushuv said seriously

Ron blinked in confusion for a moment and then burst out into laughter. "What!…you're…you're joking right…that's hilarious man!…You really had me going there for a minute."

"Ron!"

"All that stuff, real…hahaha! That's priceless!" Ron laughed hysterically. "C'mon man, we need to get to class."

Yushuv grew upset and just stood there silently.

"Hey Yushuv man, c'mon lets go."

Yushuv sighed and followed Ron to class. He had planned on receiving the response that he did, but it did not make it any less frustrating. The next step was to prove that it was all real beyond the shadow of a doubt without making Ron believe that Yushuv was some sort of freak. That was always the hardest part, because the only way to do that, was to get Ron to use his powers himself. _Oh happy fun time for me!_ Yushuv thought to himself. _I just hope I have enough time._ For some strange reason he felt that they were running out of time. Granted, the Wyld Hunt would be in Middleton soon and very much so. Yet it would take them at least two weeks to mobilize and move into Middleton in force. _So why do I feel like the countdown is already at t-minus 4 and counting._

_

* * *

_

Dr. Andrea Possible sat stretching on her front lawn. She had just finished her usual morning routine, which consisted of a warm up calisthenics, then a quick three mile run, followed by a set of stretches to cool down. No one could ever say that the good doctor didn't keep in fine shape. But she really exercised more out of habit than out of any desire to keep trim. Old Corps habits died hard and she still found herself awakening at 5:30 in the morning, expecting trumpets sounding revelry. Finishing her final set of stretches, she wiped the sweat from her brow and stood up to enter the house. It was Saturday, which meant that Kim, James, and the boys would be awake by now as it was well past 7:30. Opening the door, Andrea was greeted by the scent of pancakes coming from the kitchen. With a grin she shut the door and made for the source. In their kitchen she found her husband, Dr James Timothy Possible, flipping a pancake with the skillet in one hand and a spatula in the other. He was humming some old tune that Andrea couldn't name, but she constantly found herself humming the same tune from time to time. She entered he kitchen and spoke up with a smile

"Good morning Dr. Possible."

James turned to see his wife of seventeen years sitting at the kitchen table still in her jogging gear looking all together as beautiful as he had ever seen her.

"Good morning to you too Dr. Possible." He said with a smirk as he flipped a pancake onto a platter next to the stove. "I trust your morning routine went well?"

"As well as usual dear." Andrea said brushing a stray strand of scarlet hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "What's for breakfast today?"

"Oh you know, the usual Saturday morning Possible house meal." James said still smiling.

"Kid's up?" Andrea asked

"Tim and Jim are in the den watching cartoons. Kimmie cub is still upstairs getting dressed. She said something about hanging out with Ron and Monique today."

"Really, I'm surprised that she isn't going out with Josh today." Andrea said

"Hmm, now that you mention it…she hasn't even so much as uttered a word about the boy for…how long has it been? It's almost been two weeks now." James said thinking "Wonder what the sitch is on that front?"

"Well, they're kids, kids break up all the time. She's probably just moved on." Andrea said simply.

"You think maybe he dumped her?" James asked

"No, most likely the other way around." Andrea couldn't imagine anyone dumping Kim. Kim wasn't the type of girl to let any situation get out of her control for even a second. Sometimes that was a good thing. But other times…she could come across as a bit of a dragonlady. "Can't say that I'm surprised though. I didn't see things going anywhere special between those two."

"Oh yeah I forgot, you're still pushing for Kim and Ron." James said chuckling.

"True, but I don't think I see that happening either anymore."

"What changed your mind." James asked.

"Nothing in particular, just that something tells me that Kim will never see Ron that way, at least not until it's too late for her to do anything. She's too much like me and I got really lucky."

"Well, maybe or maybe I got lucky." James said

Andrea tilted up her head to meet his lips in a tender kiss.

"Love you Andy." James said pulling away from the kiss.

"Love you too." Andrea said grinning like a loon.

The front doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" sounded a voice from upstairs as the sound of footsteps came thundering down the stairs.

Kim came bounding down the stairs and over to the front door. It was probably Ron coming over early for their day out with Monique. Opening the door she found her two best friends laughing at a joke Ron was in the middle of.

"…and then he said it was all a true story!" Ron said chuckling.

Monique threw her head back and let out a long laugh. "Really?"

"Really what?" Kim asked as she broke into the conversation.

"Oh Ron's telling me about this prank Yushuv pulled on him. He got him so good!" Monique said still laughing.

"Prank huh?" Kim said

"Yeah remember when he took me off alone yesterday to have that 'guy talk'?" Ron asked knowing she would.

"Yes."

"Well he takes me up to the roof of the school and tells me this long drawn out myth about dragons and wars and what not. Then when I'm getting into the story, he goes and says that it's all true. But the funny part was the look on his face. He was so totally serious that I couldn't even hold in the laughter."

Kim smiled at seeing Ron laugh the way he was. She hadn't seen him do it in a while. "Sounds hilarious."

"It was, but you probably had to be there." Ron said.

"Anyway, you ready to go Kim?" Monique asked her red-headed friend.

"Yup, let's roll!" She said grinning.

"Bye Mom, Bye Dad, I'll be home for dinner."

In the kitchen both Doctors Possible called out a farewell and continued their own conversation.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang out it's chime. Dr. James Possible figured it must be his daughter returning to collect something she had forgotten. Quite possibly it was her key. Hence the ringing doorbell. He strode into the foyer at the front of the house and to the door, unlatching the lock and opening the door.

"Forgot your key huh Kimmie-Cub?" He was saying when suddenly and without warning the door exploded inwards knocking him back into the wall.

A large man stepped into the gaping opening with a wicked smirk upon his gray skinned face.

"You could say that, Daddy dearest." He chuckled.

James tried to get up, as his entire body was tingling and his head was swimming as starbursts exploded before his eyes.

"Don't get up pops, I'll let myself in." Said the gray skinned man as he stepped up to James' prone figure.

"Who…what are you?" James said as he got a good look at the man standing over him.

"Hmm oh me?" Said the gray skinned man as he drew a very large sword from a sheath at his back "I'm the Orken Man. Here to exterminate all the little pests." He brought the sword high over his head ready to bring it down on James' head.

"Oh God no!" James said holding up his hands as if to deflect the blow.

The Gray skinned man brought the large adder-bladed sword down like an axe cleaving James skull. "Ratcatcher will suffice." He said with a grin.

Slightly before Ratcatcher killed their father Jim and Tim had run in from the front room alerted at the sound of a loud commotion that was entirely not their doing for once. They arrived just in time to see their father breathe his last. Now normally when faced with danger, the boys knew how to scramble to safety or even fight back. Normally they would have done either with reaction times that would make a jack rabbit green with envy. However, this was not a normal situation. The boys stood paralyzed with fear, eyes fastened upon the scene before them and screamed bloody murder. Which, given the circumstances, was quite apt.

At this Ratcatcher turned his attentions to the boys. At that, they screamed even louder. Annoyed by the sound Ratcatcher brought his sword to mid level and bellowed.

"Shut up!" He said as he lunged forward and slashed out in an arc that very nearly took of Jim's head and actually did take off Tim's.

Jim screamed as he suddenly realized he was truly in danger and bolted through the house and ran straight upstairs. In shock thinking only one thing. 'Mommy'.

Doctor Andrea Possible opened the door to her home office to see what the commotion was when she saw Jim running like a bat out of hell up the stairs.

"Jim, what is going on?" She said in her stern mother voice.

Jim screamed as he dove into her office, slammed the door shut then, dove under her desk. Andrea, quite aggravated by the boy's actions grabbed him and forced him to look at her.

"Jim, what's going on? Why are you screaming?"

Calming down only slightly the boy began to cry and buried his head into her chest. Then came the voice.

"Knock knock." Ratcatcher said as he rapped at the door to the office with the hilt of his sword. Then the door burst open breaking it right off of the hinges as it dropped to the floor with a thud.

"So, the little brat ran to his mommy. Of course, I should have known."

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" Andrea said as Ratcatcher stepped into the room.

"Oh your husband let me in. Unfortunately enough for him." As he came closer, Andrea could see his face. When she did she recoiled in terror. It was the same face that had haunted her dreams as a small child. The face from the ghost stories Andrea's parents told her and her sisters growing up. The face of what she had always known as the bogey-man. Gray skin, red eyes, and tear tattoos down the left side of his face.

"…Ratcatcher?" She whispered.

"So you've heard of me I see. I wonder how." Ratcatcher looked at her intently for a moment and tried to find out if he recognized her. Her face didn't look familiar, but there was something about her. Something about her eyes that made him remember a long ago agony. He remembered a woman, with a pin in hand standing over him, and a promise of vengence.

"Unforgiven Blossom?" He said as he considered Andrea for a moment. Then he laughed. "OH this is just too rich! Who would have guessed that I'd be sent back to slaughter the offspring of that arrogant cow! Who would have guessed she even had offspring? Oh Dead Gods be praised!" He moved closer to Andrea as she held onto Jim for dear life and backed away.

"Maybe I ought to have a little fun with you before I finish you off. Won't that be fun, huh?"

Andrea grew even more terrified at the thought of his hands on her. But then it hit her, If he enjoyed something like that, then that meant that he was real, alive, tangible. It meant that she could fight back. Which is what she did.

Throwing Jim back behind her she grabbed an antique scalpal from her desk and hurled it at his face, where it found an all too familiar home in his right eye.

The whole thing happened so fast that it took Ratcatcher by surprise. He greabbed at the scapal in his eye and howled.

"You, whore! Arrrrrrrgggggggh! You are going to die such a slow unbearably painful death that will make snails envy your lack of haste."

Andrea the snatched Jim's hand and pulled him with her towards the door. But before she could make it out the door Ratcatcher's hand found her ankle and she tumbled to the floor.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

"Jim, Run go get help!" Andrea said as she kicked at her assailant's face, which drove the scalpel even deeper into his skull. Screaming in increased agony, he let go of her ankle, which allowed Andrea to scramble free.

She crawled on her hands and knees until she got outside the door of her office and then managed to get to her feet. She reached the stairs in time to see Jim bolt out of the front door screaming for help. _Good boy _She thought as she started down the stairs herself. But then that hand was on her again.

"You are going to pay dearly for that you bitch!" Said Ratcatcher as he picked her up and hurled her into the wall across from the top of the stairs. From there she fell with a sickening crunch straight down to the floor and didn't move.

"Damn, missed one. The Master's are not going to like this one bit. But I can't go after him while he's screaming for all to hear. I need to get out of here for now, I'll deal with the little vermin later." Taking his sword in hand he slashed at the air which created a dark tear in the fabric of reality, a portal to the underworld.

_At least I got the rest _Ratcatcher thought. _Besides, no one will believe him anyway. _With that he stepped through to the other side, he had more killing to do today.

* * *

A/N: Okay, first of all, I am dreadfully sorry for the ungodly late update. So many problems so little time. First of all, I had this chapter about half finished before I had to move. You see my sister was stationed in Japan at the Navy base in Yokosuka. She's not in the navy but she was a teacher for the dept of defense. So the military ppl packed our stuff and shiped it back to the states. Which is where I am now. But my god did it take them forever to get it to us. I mean we were here for about two months before our stuff got here, and we're still waiting for some of it now almost four months later. But my computer with the files on it for this story was part of what they shipped to the states. So sorry. If I had known it would take so long I would have shipped it myself through the post office. well expect the next chp soon. 

Thanks for all the great reviews. Keep em coming, It encourages me to write


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